Improvement in window-mirrors



l. KENNEDY.

Window-Mirror..

Patented July 20,1875.

I fiwenfdn v ".PETERS. PNOTQ-LI'IHOGRAMER. WA

DAVID J. KENNEDY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN WINDOW-MIRRORS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 165,738, dated July 20,1875; application filed June 23, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID J. KENNEDY, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,have invented an Improvement in W indow-Mirrors, of which the followingis a specification:

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, inwhich like letters represent like parts, Figure l is a rear perspectiveview Fig. 2, a front perspective view; Fig. 3, a top view, and Fig. 4 aview of the mirror-lock.

The purpose of this invention is to suspend outside of a window in adwelling a number of mirrors, disposed at such angles of inclinationthat they will reflect objects upon the sidewalk below, so as to bringthem within the vision of a person inside of the building. By thisdevice objects approaching the building from either direction, and whiledirectly in front of it, may be observed by a person within the buildingwithout self-exposure.

Devices of this class have long been in use, but they have been soconstructed that their range of usefulness has been confined by theirlimited adjustments, which have impaired their utility and preventedtheir general adoption.

By my invention is provided a simple and inexpensive mirror, havingmeans for its ad justment both vertically and horizontally, as well asmeans for varying the angle of deflection of the upper mirror, whichreflects the objects beneath the window, thus providing a mirror adaptedto be used in connection with the windows of any building, no matterwhat the depth of their boundary-walls may be, nor what the relation ofthe entrance-door is to said windows, whereby the position of any objectnear to or approaching the building may be readily seen without exposingones person.

To enable others to make and use my invention, I will proceed todescribe its construction and operation.

The body or frame G is formed from sheetmetal plates, so shaped andunited as to presenttwoplanes at right angles, or nearly so, to eachother, which planes or surfaces are provided with edge-laps or bearersm, which form supports for the glass reflectors B G. This mode ofsecuring the mirrors is similar to that practiced in holding glassplates in metallic lamp and lantern frames, but obviously may be changedas expediency may require. In Fig. 4 one mode of holding the plates B Gin proper position is shown, where a rightangular key, V, serves thispurpose. The

back-piece, which unites the top and bottom by the seams usual inworking sheet metal, is shown to be curved, thus providing a sufficientbrace for strength, and at the same time furnishing an ornamentalfinish. The precise shapeof the frame G, the mode of uniting its parts,and its material of construction, may be varied without departing fromthe invention. It may thus be made of wire or of wood, though I preferthe form and material described, as combining cheapness, strength, andutility. A vertical socket, Z, formed by "soldering or riveting a flatmetallic tube to the body Gr, provides a means for holding themirror-frame upon its supporting-rod E, upon) which it is adjustable tofixed positions by the set-screw n. This rod E slides upon a brace orarm, A, through which a set-screw, 0, extends to receive itlongitudinally thereon. The brace A is secured to the window sill orframe by any well-known means. I have shown a socket-piece, F, for thispurpose, which is to be permanently attached to the window-frame, intowhich a right -angular bend of the brace A is adapted to enter. Themirror-frame G is thus provided with means for moving it into a positionsufficiently distant from the window-frame to clear the walls of thebuilding, or provide for its including within the range of its angle ofinclination a large or small extent of the sidewalk or street, or both.By its vertical adjustment it may be positioned to accommodate theobserver whether seated or standing, thus being adapted for use by anyperson, no matter what may be their height or position of observation.Surmounting the frame G a mirror, D, is supported upon a hinge-joint bybraces or rods a a, so as to incline at any angle which shall cause itto reflect objects directly beneath it, or an gularly beneath it, as atan entrance-door. To this end its hinge is formed by a rod, 1", whichpasses through the eyes 1) c on its base-line, and is held at one end inan eye or socket, c, and at the other under a strap,

i. lts angle of inclination, relative to the horizontal position of theframe G, is fixed by the wire braces to a, whose right-angular ends,which enter the eyes I) Z) c 0, may be bent at will, so as to shorten orlengthen the brace, as may be desired. When the angular position of thetop mirror is to be Varied relative- 1y to the vertical plane of themain reflector, as shown in Fig. 2, the rod 1' is moved forward or backunder its holding=strap 13 until the required angle is produced, inwhich position it is held by a spring-arm, d, fastened to the frame G,which overlies its projecting end. Thus the upper mirror may be readilyadjusted to reflect objects entering or standing before the door of thebuilding. A second set of the devices for supporting the upper mirrorare provided, so that it may be adjusted over either of the mainmirrors, whereby the device is adapted to be used upon any buildingwithout regard to the relation of the entrance-door to the windowsthereof.

What I claim is- 1. A window-mirror having a supportingarm, A, for itsattachment to the windowframe, upon which the lnirror-frai'ne isadjustable horizontally to and from the window, substantially asdescribed.

2. A window-mirror having reflectors diverging outwardly to reflectobjects approach ing from a distance in either direction, and a singledetachable reflector, adapted to be adjusted over either horizontalmirror to reflect objects beneath. it, all substantially as described.

3. A window-mirror having horizontal reflectors B U, surmounted by areflector, D, whose angle ofdefiection is changeable by means ofstay-rods or braces to a and holding eyes I) b 0 c, substantially asdescribed.

4:. A Window-mirror whose upper reflector is adjustable in horizontaland vertical angles with relation to the main reflector, substantiallyas described.

DAVID JOHNSTON KENNEDY.

\Vitnesses :v

D. PAUL DIVER, HENRY RAPHAEL.

